06/04/2026
Get • Statement of Tó Nizhóní Ání and Diné C.A.R.E. on FERC Acceptance of Preliminary Permit Application for Chilchinbeto Pumped Storage Project on Black Mesa
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Groups representing a wide cross-section of Diné who live both on Black Mesa and across the Navajo Nation are renewing their opposition to a new application submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) seeking permission to explore development of a massive pumped hydro storage project near Kayenta.
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The proposed Chilchinbeto Pumped Storage project would construct two reservoirs, containing 10,000 acre-feet each of water, one on the rim of Black Mesa and the other 1,500 feet below in the valley. The water to fill the reservoirs would come from either the aquifer deep beneath Black Mesa or possibly the San Juan River, according to the application submitted by the company Nature and People First. After the initial 10,000 acre-feet to fill the reservoirs, the project would require withdrawing another 2,500 acre-feet every year to keep them full – nearly 10 times the estimated annual water use of the town of Kayenta.
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Read the full statement at the 🔗 in our bio.
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📸 Photo courtesy of , a nonprofit that provides overflights to educate and advocate for the environment.
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